T-shirts urge "More Chill Less Wack" as Chilliwack council denies rainbow crosswalk
Credit to Author: Glenda Luymes| Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2019 17:00:16 +0000
T-shirts emblazoned with the words ‘More Chill Less Wack’ have become a hot commodity in Chilliwack as the community remains divided over LGBTQ2 rights.
Created by school board trustee and artist Willow Reichelt in August, about 100 shirts have been sold, with all proceeds — $430 so far — going to the Chilliwack Youth Health Centre, an organization that is often the “first point of contact” for LGBTQ2 kids.
“The opposition to LGBTQ2 in our community has been pretty ‘wack,’ not to mention hateful and misinformed,” said Reichelt. “We just want people to chill and be nice to everyone.”
Chilliwack school trustee and artist Willow Reichelt and husband Christopher Hunt wearing “More Chill Less Wack” T-shirts designed by Reichelt to show support for LGBTQ2 rights. Photo: Willow Reichelt
That opposition was on display last week as Chilliwack council voted to reject a proposal to create a rainbow crosswalk in downtown Chilliwack, with the the lone councillor who voted in favour of it saying feedback had left him “disheartened by the community that we live in.”
Coun. Jason Lum said he’d reviewed dozens of emails from people who were against the crosswalk proposal, some of them “bordering on hate.”
“We have a long, long way to go to understand tolerance and to understand each other,” he said.
In rejecting the crosswalk proposal, several councillors recognized the issue had divided the community.
“This is not really bringing our city together,” said Coun. Jeff Shields.
Mayor Ken Popove said he signed a petition in favour of the rainbow crosswalk, but, as mayor, felt compelled to “stand back” and vote against it.
“I want Chilliwack to be a happy town,” he said. “I want everyone to get along, understand everyone’s faith and sexual preference … and work together.”
In response, resident Marty van den Bosch and his family decided to paint their own rainbow crosswalk across their driveway. Local company Two Girls on a Roll offered to do the work for free.
“I’m not a crusader, just a supporter,” he said. “You don’t always have to agree. It’s about understanding that people have differences and respecting their differences.”
Van den Bosch said Chilliwack is a “diverse, dynamic, complex community,” which includes a group of “very loud” conservative residents. But he believes the city is slowly changing — and will continue to change — as more people with progressive views move into the community.
Since painting his crosswalk, he’s received several messages of support and heard from other homeowners and businesses who are considering a similar gesture.
He has enough extra supplies to repaint his rainbow eight times.